Exanime Flos
by Sovereign Violette
Summary: A pharaoh worshiped by his people as a God, heartless and cold. A princess beloved by all around her, innocent and naive. They will meet, lessons will be taught, lives will change, and nothing will ever be the same as it was. Rated T for later chapters. Enjoy the read and please review :)!
1. The Task Given

I do not own Sailor Moon or Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did... well, let's just say it'd be my way!

Beta-corrected by: Midnight's Violet Haze here on Fanfiction!

Enjoy the first chapter!

* * *

Amethyst eyes scanned over the woman impassively. She had perfect chin-length, straight black hair that framed her face and deep, chocolate brown eyes outlined thickly by kohl. Her skin shimmered a faint brown in the torch lights. She wore a simple white dress-with beads woven into the fabric over her chest, he noticed with a touch of surprise; it was a highly rare occurrence to see such a thing-that clung to her form and left little to the imagination. A see-through, four foot shawl draped around and hung off her shoulders, giving her an ethereal appearance. To top off her look, she wore an assortment of golden bracelets, anklets, rings, and a thick turquoise necklace.

She was an absolutely stunning woman to many of the men in his army.

But not to him.

She is just another woman to take to his bed, use her until she no longer satisfied or aroused him, then throw her in with the harem he did not care to visit. But that's how it always was; once he got bored with a woman, he tossed her aside, only keeping her as part of his collection.

"You may speak."

The woman kept her eyes trained to the floor in respect. "I am a gift, Pharaoh, from my home."

"And where is it you are from?"

"Atef-Pehu(1), my Pharaoh."

The Pharaoh knew why he was receiving her as a 'gift'. She was another woman, adorned with riches far beyond her familial income, sent to make him fall in love with her so she may be his bride; his Queen of Egypt.

By common, yet ancient principle, both Upper and Lower Egypt were to present a beautiful woman to the Pharaoh every year after the Pharaoh's first year or rule.

He was, of course, used to this; he had been ruling for six years, after all. His father had died giving his life for Egypt in a war against a neighboring land.

"Meow!"

He smiled. "Aziza," he greeted with a slightly more jovial tone to his voice. (2)

The female cat in question jumped onto the left armrest of the throne chair and sat up straight. Aziza had very soft tan fur with thin, jagged black stripes across her body. Her eyes were bright green, a rare trait to most cats in either Upper or Lower Egypt.

The Pharaoh began to pet his companion as he once again looked to the woman before him. After a moment, his gaze flickered to his priestess, Isis. Immediately, the priestess came to the beautiful woman's side.

"Prepare her and take her to my chambers."

"Yes, my king." Isis beckoned the younger to follow her and not a moment later, both women were gone.

The Pharaoh turned to his vizier, Siamun Muran. "Is there anything else?" the ruler of Egypt asked dispassionately.

Not outwardly reacting to his Pharaoh's tone, Siamun answered, "Yes, Your Highness. Maskini (3) of Herui(4) has come to seek an audience with you on a matter of business."

The Pharaoh nodded his understanding. "Allow him in."

Two people walked from the long hallway ahead of him. One was a guard who followed behind the other, an older man-early sixties at the oldest, with kohl etched around his eyes and one golden ring wrapped around both his upper arms. The older man wore a knee-length, dirtied white shendyt (5) with a dull yellow rope for a belt and a big, dirty, baggy, sleeveless white tunic. It was obvious to the Pharaoh's council and the king himself that the man was poor-he looked like he didn't eat decent meals too often.

The man-Maskini, the Pharaoh reminded himself-dropped to his knees and leaned over, bowing respectfully. The guard bowed his head, also respectfully, but watched the nearly-elderly visitor, his back straight and spear rigid at his side.

"You may speak," the Pharaoh told the man.

Like the young woman before him, the man kept his gaze at the floor as he told his tale, "It's my village, Your Highness. It is being terrorized by bandits! They steal our food just when we collect enough to have some and kill anyone who gets close! They..."

As the old man prattled on, the Pharaoh's mind wandered. It was always the same thing with the citizens who came to see him. They expected him to solve all their problems. 'My liege, please help us overcome the drought!', 'I beg of you, Pharaoh, save my family from the plague that has encompassed our village!', 'My family will starve if we cannot harvest food soon!'. No one ever came to the palace without some sort of proposition or complaint. It was tiresome.

"-Highness, please help us!"

The Pharaoh's amethyst gaze snapped to the old man, an irritated gleam in his eyes. "Does your village have weapons?" the king questioned gruffly.

The man shook his head. "No, sire. The bandits took them-"

"Then you shall be permitted a cart with weapons for your village so you may defend yourselves."

The old man's head shot up, alarmed. "The bandits will kill me on sight and steal the weapons if-GAAH!" Maskini fell forward as the butt of the guard's spear rammed harshly into the back of the old man's head.

"How dare you speak against your king's generous offer!?" The guard roared, outraged.

Maskini's eyes widened in horror as he realized his mistake. Immediately, he threw his hands forward against the hard floor and lowered his head to the ground, begging for forgiveness, but he received none. The guard took the whip from his side and unraveled it before striking at the man's back. The Pharaoh watched as lash after lash tore through the man's shirt and skin alike, creating red gashes over already-scarred skin.

After a few moments of watching the whipping, the Pharaoh held up his hand to stop the guard, who obeyed immediately. "Enough. I do not want his blood to taint my floor."

The guard straightened and rewrapped his whip before placing it back to his side, not daring to speak.

"Take him to the dungeons. He shall stay there for thirty-one Ra cycles for his insolence."

The guard nodded stiffly before hauling Maskini up from the floor and dragging him out of the throne room.

The Pharaoh held back a sigh. _'You would think the people of Kemet (6) would learn to obey and appreciate what their God does for them...'_

"My Pharaoh," a voice spoke up.

Amethyst eyes turned questioningly to his brown-haired priest.

Upon having acquired his king's attention, he asked, "Should we not look into what Maskini said? About those bandits-"

"It matters not if there are bandits in that town," the Pharaoh interrupted. "They are of no threat to me."

"But those citizens-" the priest began to argue but was silenced with the raise of the Pharaoh's hand.

"They are not a threat. We are not going to bother with them. So let it be written, so let it be done."

And just like that, the priest backed down and no one said another word of protest.

Siamun spoke up again, "The last order of business is to pass judgment upon Odji (7), a man from Uatchet (8) who killed all but one member of the now-deceased Lord Omari's (9) household."

"Let him enter."

Unlike the last man who had approached, Odji was considerably younger-no later than thirty years old-and much more muscular. He stood at 6'4'' and also wore a shendyt, though much cleaner, with a bright yellow rope wrapped around his waist as a belt with short, evenly-cut black hair. He wore two golden rings around both his upper arms and heavy, tablet-shaped earrings. His dark brown eyes, etched with a thin line of kohl, held the rage of a wild animal ready to lash out. He would have, too, if it weren't for the heavy iron biting into his ankles and wrists and the two guards trailing behind him: one pushing him forward and the other gripping his spear tightly in anticipation of sudden foul play.

The Pharaoh's face remained impassive as Odji was forced to his knees. Lord Omari's family meant nothing to him, but they did provide one of the best silks in all of Egypt. To have almost all of them killed, with little chance that the only living son knew anything about how to prepare the Ra-gifted silks...

The Pharaoh did not like having something he enjoyed receiving taken from him.

"You are before the Pharaoh because you have been accused of murdering Lord Omari, his wife Lady Amisi (10), and their daughters Mandisa (11) and Kakra (12). How do you plead to these charges?"

Odji's voice was unwavering and truthful when he replied, "Yes, I killed the hated lord, his cruel wife, and their whores for daughters." There were a few collective gasps at his crude language, but he continued, undeterred, "He murdered my wife and son... _in front of me!_" Odji struggled to hold back tears now, pain etched strongly in his voice.

"That does not give you the right to exact your revenge on Lord Omari and his family," Priest Karim said solemnly. "You could have come to His Highness-"

"**I DID THAT!**" The man screamed. Tears furiously, unashamedly, fell from his eyes and dripped onto the floor. "But the _Pharaoh_-" the king's eyebrows twitched in displeasure, not at all liking the tone the prisoner used with his title, yet raised his hand, stopping the guards before they harmed the bulky man. "-refused to see me! The injustice done unto my family demanded the Omari's blood as retribution!"

"It is not any right of yours to take revenge for the wrongdoing of someone else," Priest Shada reproved.

Odji opened his mouth to respond but the Pharaoh interrupted him. "Why not kill the boy, then? You spared his life; why?"

"He was innocent; he had done nothing wrong." The prisoner responded quietly.

The Pharaoh did not accept that as an answer. "The boy is Lord Omari's son; he will surely be a near-carbon-copy of his father when he is older. So I ask again, why not just kill him?"

Odji didn't respond immediately, but when he finally did, the Pharaoh's body stiffened in anger. "You, who would blame a child for his father's crime... You, who would not give a lowly peasant the time of day to tell you of a crime..." the Egyptian man paused before looking up into the eyes of his king. "You deserve a far worse fate. May the Gods show you no mercy."

The Pharaoh's eyes narrowed to slits. "You do realize you can be severely punished-even put to death-for all you have said."

"I am already dead." Odji replied with a humorless smile.

Having heard enough, the ruler of Egypt lowered his hand and nodded to the guards. The two guards roughly yanked the bulky man to his feet and forcefully bowed the prisoner's head.

"Take him to the dungeons and give him fifty lashes." His eyes glowed with a hint of crimson as he added, "He shall pay for his insolence with his life before the people of Kemet in three days, when Ra is at his highest point in the sky."

* * *

The rest of the day had gone uneventful for the ruler of Egypt. Sign official documents here, meet lords over trivial matters there... it was truly tedious.

By nightfall, the Pharaoh ended up on a balcony under the nearly pitch-black sky. Thousands and thousands of stars glittered brightly, and only seemed to sparkle more when he gazed at them. Admittedly, he liked the stars; they were the only innocent things in this universe. As his eyes explored the endless sky, his eyes swiveled over to the Moon... and immediately narrowed.

He hated the Moon.

Unlike Ra, whose rays revealed each and every misdeed to his reign, the moonlight was weak... barely a flicker in some instances. Contrary to those who thought it beautiful or helpful in religious beliefs, he thought it ugly and deceptive; it helped cast shadows over runaway thieves and traitors and others who defied him.

No, the Moon was not beautiful, it was treacherous.

"Meow!"

The king of Egypt turned at the sudden noise, prepared to bark out a verbal lashing and punishment, when he saw Aziza just a few feet away, her tail swishing back and forth as she waited for his call.

She did not have to wait long. "Aziza," the king cooed affectionately, smiling a small, true smile that only the cat had ever received.

With another meow, Aziza padded over to the Pharaoh, purring as she curled her way around the Pharaoh's legs, enticing a chuckle from the man.

"It's good to see you, my friend," the Pharaoh confided honestly, bending down to pet her. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion when the cat scampered away from him, stopping just a few feet away and meowing for his attention again.

He straightened. "Aziza?" he questioned, taking a few steps forward. When he came close to her, she scampered off again, only to stop and meow for him once more.

_'What is she doing?'_ he wondered. "Aziza?" He approached her again, and just like before, when he got too close, she ran away, only to stop and meow for him once more.

When he didn't come after her again, Aziza purred loudly, taking a few steps forward before turning back around, coming toward him but turned away just before touching him and repeated the action over and over.

The Pharaoh frowned. His companion had never behaved this way before but, because she was, his gut prompted him to take it seriously.

"Do you want me to follow you?"

Aziza's head tilted a bit and meowed what he assumed to be a "yes" before running off, the Pharaoh following her just a few feet behind.

Corridor after corridor, turn after turn the Pharaoh ran, occasionally calling to his companion but did not receive an answer.

Eventually, the king ended up outside, the night hiding Aziza from view. He bent over to catch his breath and slow his racing heart, his clothes suddenly feeling much too hot.

A sudden golden flash caught his attention. Cautiously, the Pharaoh straightened his spine and slowly entered what he recognized as his outdoor garden. In the center of his outdoor garden lay a very large fountain full of lotus flowers. Surrounding it were different plants here and there, and though it was a wonderful sight to look at, his mind primarily focused on the intruder who dared to enter his private garden.

As quietly as he could, the Pharaoh slowly stepped around the fountain...

"Greetings, Pharaoh."

...and promptly bowed before the person in front of him.

"Rise."

And the Pharaoh did it without question, all the while looking over the individual in front of him.

She was beautiful. She wore a white kalasiris (13) that reached down to her ankles. The jewelry she wore was of red, blue, and green beads around her wrists, upper arms, ankles, and in the thick necklace, all of which were lined with gold. Wings lined her arms in the same colors as her beads, full and real and sure to be very soft. Her black hair fell neatly mid-back and across her shoulders. Across her head was a golden band with a blue ostrich feather. In one hand, the sceptre that symbolized power, and in the other, much to his sudden wariness, nothing-the ankh that symbolized eternal life was not present. The ethereal, golden light around her told the Pharaoh that she was no imposter.

This was the Goddess Ma'at before his very eyes.

Aziza purred as the Goddess momentarily bent down to pet the cat. "Thank you for your help, Aziza."

The Goddess was answered with another, louder, purr.

Ma'at straightened and turned her piercing, dark brown eyes to the Pharaoh of Egypt and frowned.

"You have disgraced your throne and ancestors, Pharaoh," she began disapprovingly, noticing the twitch in his jaw as she did so; he was _never_ talked to this way, she knew. "Your mother would be so disappointed in you."

He frowned. "I do not understand how I have displeased you, Goddess." He meant it. She knew he did.

"You have not upheld my views of justice, balance, harmony, and truth." Ma'at paused, contemplating something the Pharaoh did not know, before commanding, "Hold out your hands, Pharaoh."

The man, though confused, did as she instructed. He watched as Ma'at plucked the blue ostrich feather from her band and held it above his awaiting palms for a moment before releasing it.

The next event happened so fast it astonished him. One second, he was mesmerized by the gentle, slow fall of the feather's descent to his eager palms, even more amazed by how soft it felt against his skin. Then, a second later, he was hunched over, his legs and arms shaking violently with the effort to keep himself from collapsing, the feather suddenly weighing heavier than an adult crocodile.

Ma'at let out a silent sigh. "You cannot hold my feather properly, and thus proves my point: Your heart is shadowed by cruelty and tyranny. It has been for a long time. Due to this, you have taken to making poor-even wrong-decisions, when you knew there better choices. Your people have grown to despise you so much, now they wish you dead-and it is only a matter of time before these very balanced human beings are corrupted by that hatred which has been seeded into their hearts and attempt to kill you." She paused a moment, looking down at her feather.

"Your heart deserves to be eaten by Ammit(14) here and now."

The Pharaoh's blood ran cold. He didn't want to die! _He couldn't!_

But he made no move to argue in his defense. Something, somewhere inside him, stopped him. If it was over, he didn't have a right to fight-especially not with a Goddess so powerful as Ma'at.

"However, you will not die this night."

The Pharaoh's head shot up so fast it was a miracle he didn't get whiplash. He watched Ma'at reach down, take her feather from his hand and put it back in her band.

"You managed to hold my feather up from the ground, and that means you have a chance-a chance to redeem yourself and prove to the Gods and Kemet alike that you are a worthy pharaoh."

Ma'at looked into the Pharaoh's eyes and opened her arms.

"Pharaoh Atem, you will go to the place you hate most to learn my principles and bear the color eyes of which reflect all your most severe crimes."

Her winged arms wrapped around him and held him close in the way he was sure a mother would when comforting her child. He only had a split second to recognize that she was _so warm_ before his eyes drifted closed and the blackness engulfed him.

* * *

Atem felt himself slowly drift into consciousness from a dreamless sleep. His hand twitched and he felt a spark of amazement. Whatever he was laying on felt cool _and_ soft-neither of which he was used to feeling at the same time. Despite its softness, he could distinctly feel hard ground beneath him.

_'What is this? The sands of Kemet have never felt this way...'_

A breeze drifted over him, caressing him, making sure every exposed part of his skin felt its presence and every inch of clothing ruffled. It refreshed him but did not make him shiver in cold; he felt too warm.

_'Am I in the afterlife?'_ Pharaoh Atem wondered. If he was, this was the most he'd ever been at peace. And if he were honest with himself... he didn't want to leave.

_"Your heart deserves to be eaten by Ammit here and now."_

Icy cold realization hit him. Ma'at wouldn't allow him into the afterlife-he wasn't worthy of ruling Kemet in her eyes, let alone having an easy access to paradise.

So, _where was he?_

He felt it then.

The feeling of being **_watched!_**

His eyes sprang open... and drowned in startled cerulean.

* * *

And there's the first chapter, everyone! I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews and favorites ensure faster results!

Notes/Meanings:

(1) **Atef-Pehu**: It is an Ancient Egyptian city. I do not know what it means.

(2) **Aziza**: An Egyptian female name meaning, "Precious". **Azizi** is the **male** form.

(3) **Maskini**: An Egyptian male name meaning Poor.

(4) **Herui**: It is an Ancient Egyptian city. It is written as two falcons in hieroglyphics and thus earning the name, "The Two Falcons."

(5) **Shendyt**: A wrap around skirt that is belted around the waist. Sometimes they are pleated or gathered in the front.

(6) **Kemet**: The official name that the Ancient Egyptians called their country. It means, "Black Land". Sometimes, they'd refer to their country as **Ta-mery**, or "Beloved Land".

(7) **Odji**: An Egyptian male name meaning Wicked.

(8) **Uatchet**: It is an Ancient Egyptian city. It is written as a snake in hieroglyphics and thus earning the name, "The Snake".

(9) **Omari**: An Egyptian male name meaning High Born.

(10) **Amisi**: An Egyptian female name meaning Flower.

(11) **Mandisa**: An Egyptian female name meaning Sweet.

(12) **Kakra**: An Egyptian female name meaning Twin.

(13) **Kalasiris**: A simple sheath dress that many Ancient Egyptian women wore.

(14) **Ammit**: Also known as "**Ammut**" and "**Ahemait**", she is a Goddess with the head of a crocodile, torso of a wild cat, and hindquarters of a hippopotamus (though she did have a human form). Ammit sat beside the scales of Ma'at ready to eat the souls or hearts of the deceased. She was not worshipped because she was everything that the Ancient Egyptians feared.


	2. First Meeting

Sorry for the long update, everyone! I've been having some trouble with my personal life. Not to worry, though! Here is chapter 2!

Beta-corrected by: Midnight's Violet Haze! Also proofread by my grandma and grandpa.

Extra note: Ages

Princess Serenity: 16

Princess Mercury: 16

Princess Mars: 16

Princess Jupiter: 16

Princess Venus: 16

Pharaoh Atem: 18

Enjoy!

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She raised her hands above her head, the folds of her dress fluttering around her. Her bare feet, wet because of the ankle-deep water she danced in. She spun around in quick circles. Her hips swayed to music only she could hear: an endless, exciting tune which made her thought process cease to exist.

She began to hum along to the imaginary music she danced to, lowering her arms slowly and holding them out in front of her, spreading her fingers and then spreading her arms out on either side of her. Her hair, also wet at the ends because of its length, floated elegantly around her, making it appear as though it were a golden halo.

Then, like all magnificent things, the dance had to end. Her body slowed to a gentle sway, no longer spinning but unwilling to stop completely. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and settled upon three approaching figures.

To the left was Princess Mercury. She had very short, blue hair and dark sapphire blue eyes. Mercury was a short woman, only standing at 5'2'', but her intelligence and calculating nature made her quiet, yet fearsome. The gown she wore, native to her planet and one of the many symbols of her royal rank, was a medium azure color with a powder blue color on the sides and a splash of it over the majority of her breasts. The two straps of her gown had three golden accents on each one with a Caribbean blue drop in the middle. She wore a ribbon around her neck that matched the darker color of her dress. To top off her look she wore a thin, golden chain with a teardrop-shaped, blue gem outlined in gold.

To the right was Princess Jupiter. She had brown hair, held up in its usual style by her green hair tie with its pink rose. Her eyes were an elegant, deep green. Jupiter was the tallest of the four inner guardians, standing at 5'6'', her physical strength rivaling that of Princess Uranus, one of the outer guardians, and surpassing all of the finest Moon Palace guards. The gown she wore was forest green with a waved slit that started and flowed out from the center front of her dress, just below her inner thigh. The second layer of her dress, a very light green, flowed with the first layer. It was strapped just like Mercury's, but what she lacked in golden accents, she made up for with two dark green rose accessories, one on either side of her hip. To finish her look, she wore a green ribbon, in much the same fashion as Mercury's, around her neck and also had a thin, golden chain with a teardrop-shaped, green gem outlined in gold.

In the middle was Princess Venus. She had lively blue eyes with long, bright blonde hair and a red bow accompanied by a yellow rose. Venus was five feet tall and very accomplished, thus far, being the leader of the Sailor Senshi; her special skills were her quick thinking, fast reactions along with proper etiquette. Her gown was canary yellow, fitting snugly against her form, only spreading out a bit at her feet. Her second layer began at her waist, slitting much like Jupiter's down the middle in waves but not separating until mid-thigh, where the layer quickly spread wide, surrounding her in a flowing, light yellow, see-through halo. Her straps, also without accents, tied into bows at her shoulders. Like Mercury and Jupiter, she wore a yellow ribbon, tied around her neck and a thin, golden chain with a teardrop-shaped, orange gem outlined in gold.

The three princesses were the Moon princess's teachers. Princess Mercury was a scholar, having a vast amount of knowledge on all of the planets within the Solar System. She taught the history of the Silver Millennium. Princess Jupiter was a master at hand-to-hand combat, having repeatedly taken down Mercury, Mars and Venus in one-on-one sparring matches and only had trouble with Uranus, due to their rivaled strength. Jupiter taught the Moon princess self-defense. Princess Venus was the epitome of a proper princess, having the most experience of the four guardians with interpersonal relations, from interacting with commoners to planet rulers to Queen Serenity. She taught proper etiquette.

"Princess," a soft voice interrupted the Moon princess's musings. Cerulean orbs drifted to the other's eyes, and princess of the Moon smiled. Holding out her hand, Princess Serenity beckoned,

"Join me, Venus."

Even though it was a request, the princess of Venus knew she could deny it if she truly wanted too.

But she would never deny her princess anything.

Stepping into the water without hesitation, Venus took Serenity's hand and led her a couple of steps away, giving them plenty of room. Having taken the man's position, Venus's left hand raised itself while her right hand gently cupped the Moon princess's shoulder blade. In response, Princess Serenity slipped her right hand into her guardian's while her other rested upon the blonde's shoulder.

And then, they danced.

It was slow and simple, but relaxing. It was a rare occurrence for Serenity to catch a moment alone with her guardians that did not involve lessons or some other form of business, so she relished the stolen moment.

In truth, Princess Serenity could have made more of an effort to spend time with the inner planetary princesses, but she often found herself using her free time staring out at the Earth or in the palace gardens. In this case, she danced before the Earth, clearing her mind of everything.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jupiter and Mercury dancing to the same unknown music, on the cement, with Jupiter, of course, leading.

Princess Serenity gave Venus a warm smile. _"Thank you,"_ her eyes told the leader of the Sailor Senshi. The Lunarian knew full well what the other had been about to do; Princess Venus would have requested Serenity abandon her fun and return to her duties.

But the Moon princess didn't want too.

So dance they did, time becoming unimportant and forgotten. Princess Serenity came upon land to continue the dance, this time Jupiter holding her close as the brunette lead her around. Within minutes, or perhaps hours, Mercury stepped up, tapped Jupiter on the shoulder, cutting in, and gracefully taking the lead. She then gave the Moon princess a small smile.

Princess Serenity's gaze shifted from Mercury's to look out into the sky.

An orb was visible. Deep blue, darker and more mysterious than anything she had ever encountered. Patches of forest green decorated the surface, lush and vast with countless creatures and plants she had never heard of. A billowy white mass of condensed water vapor, said to be beautiful and admired, seemed to float across the surface.

Earth.

More than anything else in the galaxy, Princess Serenity wanted to travel to that planet and discover all of its wonders.

She only knew what a slim history book had told her about. It told her of a few customs, some flowers and animals—she was very fond of the rabbit, as it turned out; it was just so cute!

But she, like the rest of the Moon Kingdom, was forbidden to ever make any contact with the blue planet and its inhabitants. She didn't understand why.

She tried to look for an answer, once, only to turn up empty. When she asked her mother, the older woman told her, "It is a dangerous place, my daughter. You will know one day."

She reluctantly accepted what her mother told her and stopped looking for an answer, but the curiosity she held for the planet never ceased.

"Princess Serenity!" a voice suddenly called to her, drawing her attention away from the Earth. She turned around and saw a woman heading toward her.

Princess Mars had long, silky black hair and piercing violet eyes. Mars stood proudly at 5'3'', her presence often commanding fear, respect and caution among almost everyone—the exceptions were Princess Serenity, Queen Serenity, and the other guardians. Her dress clung to her curves nicely, spreading out only at her ankles and feet. It was primarily a ruby red color with a light pink portion running straight down the center of the gown. The straps which held it up were held together by a single golden accent on either strap with a deep red gem in the middle of it. She wore a red ribbon around her neck and a thin, golden chain with a teardrop-shaped, red gem outlined in gold.

"Princess Serenity! Are you alright?" Princess Mars asked in a concerned, almost panicked, tone. She turned to the other senshi, but as she found them untroubled, her brow furrowed. "You are late for your lesson." Her voice strained in an attempt not to express her exasperation.

At the mention of Mars's lesson, the Moon princess held back a smile. That was the precise reason for Serenity to have been out dancing this day in the water. Mars was a wonderfully gifted person. With the help of a portion of the Great Fire from Mars here on the Moon, Mars was capable of seeing visions, predicting fates, and sensing friendly and enemy auras alike.

Princess Serenity had the talent of being able to sense the cores of the inner, but she had been unsuccessful in locating the outer four guardians. Queen Serenity and Princess Mars both insisted she not give up, claiming it to be an important skill to master. The Moon princess had no desire to carry on, though, feeling as though she was at her limit. She was not born from Mars, after all; she was not particularly gifted in reading the fire.

"Look at what you've done to yourself!" Mars gasped, giving the Moon princess a complete check over. Princess Serenity glanced down, as well. The ends of her dress and tangled hair alike were wet and stained with dirt.

It was common practice when participating in spiritual lessons to be cleansed of outside contamination as well as inner turmoil.

Mars took Serenity's hand in a firm grip, determined to start. "Come, Your Highness, we must prepare you for your lesson."

Princess Serenity gave a nod of acknowledgement, but she turned to give the Earth a silent thank you for being her first dance partner. Just as she turned her gaze away, she suddenly saw something out of the corner of her eye.

A flash of light from Earth. It was too brief for her to make out any details, but it nonetheless, made the Moon princess attentive to the planet in a way she had never been.

"Mars, did you see that flash of light?" Serenity questioned, her eyes never leaving the planet.

Mars was confused, "Pardon, Your Highness?"

"The flash of light!" the princess cried excitedly, pointing a delicate finger toward the Earth. "Did you see it?!"

The brunette followed the Moon princess's finger and found herself gazing upon the Earth. She frowned.

"No," she responded flatly.

Undeterred by the pyro princess's tone, Serenity turned to her head to her other guardians, her eyes questioning.

Venus gave her princess a blank stare while Jupiter just shook her head.

The blonde princess's gaze turned on Mercury, the only one who had yet to answer.

"You saw it, right, Mercury?" _'You had too! You have the sharpest eye of the inner—'_

"I am afraid not, Your Highness," the princess of Mercury stated cooly. "Please restrain yourself; you are the crown princess of the Moon Kingdom and daughter of Queen Serenity; not a foolish five-year-old child."

Like a chastened child, Princess Serenity dropped her hand and nodded. "I apologize," though she said it formally and without emotion.

Princess Mars nodded. "Come, Your Highness, let's get you cleaned up."

...

Serenity sat upon a plush, silver pillow and gazed briefly around the room. The walls were made of gray stone with scrolls hanging on them, written in Princess Mars's native language, of protection and good fortune. The stone floor was littered with silver candles save for the walkway from the door and the circle of thick glass encompassing most of the ground. The circle was cut into eight pieces, each bearing the colors of the Sailor Senshi, a white circle at the outer edge of them with their individual planetary sign. In those circles stood a candle that reflected that particular senshi's color. In the middle of the multi-colored circle was a larger, white circle with a golden crescent moon in the middle of it—where her pillow happened to be sitting.

The Moon princess's gaze settled on the planetary symbol of Mars, her eyes running over its curves...

_The heat of the Great Fire instantly warmed her skin the moment she stepped into the room. It was at least ten feet tall, if not taller, and eight feet wide. The fire was a bright scarlet color with flecks of orange sparking within._

'This is the eternal flame,' _her mind supplied her._ 'the heart of their power... the flame which can never be blown out!'

_Princess Serenity unconsciously walked forward, her eyes never leaving the scarlet flame. She stopped just a few feet from it._

_For no apparent reason, she tore her eyes away and looked down. Just before her was a red circular seal with ancient symbols of Martian culture._

_"Princess Serenity?" a voice called, the door opening—when had it closed?—behind the little blonde. "Are you in here?"_

_The heir to the Moon Kingdom did not pay heed to the voice._

'The seal... is it calling me?'

_"NO! Don't go into it, Princess Serenity!"_

_But it was too late. The blonde princess stepped inside, her eyes once again trained on the Great Fire. Immediately, the crescent moon on her forehead glinted, and all she knew was white._

This was the first time she had ever encountered the Sen no Rei no Akumari (1). Her mother, after taking some time to comfort her younger self, had told her it was a white space with an unknown origin. Only those with a great spiritual sense could arrive there and seek out the cores of their most precious peoples' souls. The exceptional few among those who had this ability could even "see" the cores with the combination of their mind's eye and feeling.

Normally, only a Martian had enough spiritual capability to enter the Sen no Rei no Akumari. However, Queen Serenity, a Lunarian, had first proven to have such high spiritual capability, it was only bested by the queen of Mars, herself. On that day, when her mother had pulled her from the white space, the queen of the Moon decided she, Princess Serenity, had to hone this ability until she mastered it.

_'That was eight years ago,'_ the Moon princess mused. _'I wonder why I remember that today...'_

The door opened, interrupting the blonde's thoughts, and in walked Princess Mars, a white candle alight in her hands.

"Are you ready, Princess Serenity?" the dark-haired young woman asked formally.

The blonde nodded.

The princess of Mars sat across from the Moon princess, grabbing her red candle from its spot in the glass circle, holding it and putting the white one directly in front of Serenity.

While all of the other candles in the room had a yellow flame, Serenity's had a pure red one—a piece of the Great Fire from Mars, her guardian had told her once.

"Look into the flame, Serenity."

Cerulean orbs obeyed the pyro princess's instruction, and she gazed deep into the scarlet flame. The crescent moon on Princess Serenity's forehead sparked to life with power.

Soon after, the world faded into nothing.

* * *

She was falling into the never ending white space. Her dress billowed softly around her, as though waves of a non-existent sea were toying with it. Long blonde strands twisted and swayed on either side of her from an imaginary breeze. She did nothing for a moment, drowning in the feeling of calm in this place.

She couldn't sit idly forever, however; she had to find them.

She had to find her protectors.

As if sensing her call, they arose and made their presence known.

First was the brilliant Silver of her mother, an orb gentle and wise.

And then the guardian orbs came, one by one:

Red, bright and fierce.

Blue, cool and steady.

Green, protective and caring.

Orange, understanding and jovial.

She felt a brief burst of happiness. She imagined extending her hands and briefly caressing the orbs, only to have them float out and away from her, surrounding her, twinkling like guardian stars.

_"Find them, the other four."_

Without hesitation, she did as instructed. She stretched her hands forward, her palms open and fingers spread wide. Her soul beckoned them to her, eager to meet them for the first time. Uncertainty and self-doubt began to fill her as minutes ticked away and she did not receive even a flicker of their existence.

_"You can do this! Believe in yourself!"_

The encouragement felt strange to her; she had never been complimented during these sessions.

But oddly enough, it was what she needed.

Concentrating, she tried harder in her attempt to summon the outer guardians' orbs to her, becoming almost careless in her insistence. To her utter surprise, Midnight Blue, ferocious and unwavering, arose to her call, as well as Aquamarine, tranquil and mighty.

She felt a surge of happiness course through her as both of her hands cupped the orbs, giving them each a soft caress with her thumbs.

_'I am so happy to meet you.'_

They seemed to glow a bit brighter at her words.

_"You are doing wonderfully, Princess. Keep going!"_

Serenity reluctantly sent the two orbs away from her. They huddled together and twinkled, mimicking the stars of the real world much like the other protectors.

Spurred on by the acknowledgement of her newest accomplishment, she concentrated as hard as she could, pushing her limits, calling for the other two. There! A flicker of Garnet—

Suddenly, a golden sphere appeared just above her, shining brighter than every orb around her. Even though she knew it was not one of her protectors, it seemed soft, and smaller than the others. It almost appeared... fragile.

With this thought in mind, her hands reached up and cupped the orb, almost as though she were going to pull it close to her to keep it safe.

The second her hands grazed the orb, beautiful rays of warm, golden light burst forth and consumed everything around her.

It was far from peaceful, however.

Whatever the golden orb represented, it was very dangerous and immensely powerful, capable of doing things she could not even imagine. Its power grew more and more, the light it gave growing brighter and brighter, shocking her to the core. What in Selene's name could possibly exist that could stun her in this space? And if it could stun her here, what could it do in the real world?

She lost her concentration then, unable to watch the orb any longer.

The effect was instantaneous. The orb vanished as quickly as it had appeared, taking its light with it... and leaving her in a fathomless void of black.

It was cold, and devoid of anything. There was not a trace of light anywhere; her own spirit suffocated in the empty darkness but struggled, and succeeded, to stay as she was.

_'What is this?'_

Her thought seemed to echo in the lifeless darkness.

Unable to accept that she was really alone, as she had never been without her mother or guardians before, she imagined her hands reaching out and called them to her.

There was nothing.

An alien feeling of panic washed over her.

She needed to release herself from her spiritual state. _Now._

Try as she might, she could not relax herself enough to release her state, as her spiritual guide had taught her. Just as she was about to experience another emotion for the first time, icy fear, the void seemed to change. The cold receded, and in its place came a heat that made her so uncomfortable, she would have squirmed if she had been able too.

A voice so rich and thick with an unfamiliar accent spoke then, shocking her to her core with how _vehemently promising_ it sounded,

_**"****You are mine."**_

Before she could consider the meaning of those words, an invisible, large, shadowy hand wrapped itself around her very soul and squeezed.

Princess Serenity's eyes flew open as she gave a loud gasp. Beads of sweat poured down her face and neck, landing on and absorbing into the soft, white cloth of her dress. Her breathing was labored, struggling to calm herself.

"—ity! ...cess Sere..."

The blonde heard a voice call for her, and for a moment, her body stiffened, thinking it was the mysterious voice from the black void. Or worse, the deceiving golden orb.

"PRINCESS SERENITY!"

The bellow snapped the Moon princess out of her stupor and her head jerked up so fast she almost had whiplash, her eyes drowning in concerned violet.

"Mars..."

The woman in question, Mars, squeezed Princess Serenity's shoulders, staring into the cerulean depths of her princess.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

"I..." Princess Serenity's voice failed her, however. She could not answer.

"She looks pale," another concerned voice spoke up—Mercury, Serenity's mind supplied—before placing a delicate hand upon the blonde's sweaty forehead. "and is a little warm. Her Highness should lie down and get some rest."

The princess of Jupiter suddenly came into view as Mars drew back, letting her hands fall gracefully to her sides. "We will escort Her Highness to her chambers, then," Jupiter said.

The princess's hand was lifted then, helping her to her feet. Princess Venus, ever the one to take control of the situation, squeezed her hand reassuringly as she said, "You are safe, Your Highness. We, your guardians, would never allow anything to harm you."

With a slight nod, Princess Serenity allowed Jupiter and Venus to guide her to her bed chambers.

She was asleep by the time her head hit the pillow.

* * *

Princess Serenity woke hours later, her body feeling sluggish and heavy. At first, the memory of what had happened earlier that day only tickled the back of her mind, teasing her with her inability to grasp it.

Slowly, the Moon princess crawled, none-too-gracefully, out of bed and shuffled to the glass doors. She pushed them open and stepped out onto the balcony. Her hands touched the railing softly as she looked out to the Earth.

It was beautiful and mysterious, as always.

However, something was off.

She felt an uneasy, anxious feeling in her chest. What was it about looking at the Earth that made her feel this way compared to every time before now?

She remembered the time in the Sen no Rei no Akumari then. How had she gotten in contact with something or someone other than her mother and guardians? They should have been the only ones she could sense; Mars would have been able to sense something else in the white space, not the Moon princess!

And then, there was that voice. Dark, heated, and promising.

She shivered at the reminder of it. What had it meant when it "claimed her"? Was something bad going to happen to her? Her friends? Her mother?

Serenity had never experienced anything like this before, ever. It was always a white space with the orbs of her guardians. The whole experience itself was... unsettling.

_'I need to inform Mars about what I saw. She would know if it is something to worry Mother with...'_

As if on cue, Serenity's stomach growled. Embarrassed by the noise it made, the princess moved a hand over her stomach and held it.

_'I think I shall visit the kitchens, first.'_

With her mind made up, the Moon princess turned and left her chambers, walking leisurely toward where she knew the palace kitchens were. After a few turned corners, she walked down a corridor which led her outside. She smiled serenely as she gazed upon the palace gardens.

Short, soft, lush green grass and small, multicolored flowers stretched for as far as the eye could see. It was Serenity's favorite place on the entire Moon.

She could find true peace here.

Realizing she had stopped, the princess turned away, intending to continue on her merry way.

That's when she felt it.

Her entire body stiffened. The hairs on her neck stood to attention. Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned back toward the gardens, her eyes impossibly wide.

There, fifty yards away, stood a creature unlike anything Serenity had ever seen. The creature stood hundreds of feet tall and made entirely out of gold. Its wings were just as big, if not bigger, than its body, and wrapped around itself. Embedded in its forehead was a large, deep blue stone. The animal's power rolled off the creature through every pore in invisible tidal waves, making the blonde's blood sing in response beneath her skin.

There was no mistaking it. This was the true form of the golden sphere from the Sen no Rei no Akumari.

Serenity had never seen anything like it.

Without realizing it, Serenity had already begun making her way slowly toward the enormous beast, her eyes never wavering from the animal. It seemed she had gotten too close, though, for when she was just forty yards away, the beast let out a roar of warning.

The sound instantly made Serenity stop in her tracks, watching with bated breath, and wondering what it would do next.

The beast unfurled its large wings and spread them out to their full length on either side of its body, their size so large the gust of wind that followed blew Serenity's hair back. The princess didn't care about it, though, instead focusing on what was revealed from behind the wings.

Or rather, _who._

A raven-haired woman stood tall and proud before the golden creature. Her skin was darker than the princess had ever seen; the people of the Moon were always fair-skinned. The woman was clad in a yellow and white dress with colorful jewelry outlined in gold adorning her wrists, upper arms, and neck. In her right hand was a scepter which was nearly as tall as the woman herself. She was beautiful, and the ethereal light shining around her accented her features.

Though she was an oddity and a wonder to the princess, the most interesting thing about the woman were her colorful wings—green, yellow, red, then blue. Somehow, Serenity knew they weren't just for show; they were real.

The strange woman, too, was powerful, akin to the creature she was in front of.

The dark-skinned woman looked down to the field. Cocking her head a tad to the side, Princess Serenity stared at her in confusion before following the woman's gaze.

Beside the woman lay a lone, prone figure. At first, the blonde thought it to be an object of some sort, but the longer she stared at it, the more she became aware of how wrong she was.

It was a _body._

An _**unmoving**_ body.

Before the blonde could even contemplate what to make of the situation, she heard a haunted, almost angry, growl pierce the air. The sound itself wasn't too loud, but it echoed over the gardens, making a cold shiver run down the princess's spine.

The dark-haired woman stared intensely at the Lunarian for a moment, as if she were looking for something in the princess's eyes, she then looked coldly down at the still body. She raised her right arm slowly and pointed her scepter at the person, the staff beginning to glow a strange green color.

A sense of foreboding overcame the Moon princess as she saw the green glow become larger and larger, as if preparing for an attack...

Time slowed down then. The blood roared in her ears and she felt adrenaline take control over her legs. She ran, harder and faster than she ever had, toward the woman, her eyes never leaving the scepter which glowed more and more ominously. She couldn't stand by and watch someone get hurt—especially a someone who couldn't defend themselves!

"**_NO!_**" Princess Serenity screamed, throwing herself over the upper half of the person's body, ducking in preparation for an attack.

She waited for the pain, or an agony she had never felt in her life.

And waited.

And _waited._

But nothing came.

After several moments, Princess Serenity lifted her head, and blinked astonishingly at the dark-skinned woman.

She held her scepter to her side once again, as if she had never done anything with it in the first place.

The woman offered her left hand to Serenity, a kind smile gracing her lips. Without a second thought, Serenity took it, and the woman helped her to a more comfortable sitting position before releasing her hand.

"_You are the one._"

The voice, thick with a foreign accent, made Serenity's eyes nearly pop out of her skull. It was a beautiful sound, like a rich, ancient instrument she never had the privilege of hearing.

Serenity opened her mouth to say something, but the raven-haired woman was already stepping away from her. The golden creature gave a screech so loud, the Moon princess had to cover her ears, her body cringing instinctively. Princess Serenity once again searched for the dark eyes of the foreign woman. She watched as huge wings wrapped around the woman loosely, as if they were tenderly hugging the woman to the beast, before a ball of light surrounded the two and they disappeared.

The Moon princess just stared at the spot where they had stood. She couldn't believe what had just transpired.

_'Who were they? Why—'_

A rustling noise caught her attention. She looked down at the male—yes, she had deduced quite quickly that he was a man—beside her and immediately felt her face light up in embarrassment. She couldn't believe she _threw herself over him!_ It was highly improper!

She scrambled away, sitting a couple feet behind his head. Her heart beat erratically in her chest, so loud she truly feared he would hear her!

She paused.

She actually... hadn't checked to see if he was really _alive_ or not; she just assumed he was.

Biting her bottom lip softly, Princess Serenity crawled closer and closer to him, until her knees were just a few inches from touching his hair. She carefully watched the man and only let out a sigh of relief when she saw the steady rise and fall motion of his chest.

She took this time to carefully look at the man. He looked older than her, eighteen perhaps, and had deeply tanned skin, much like the powerful woman from just a moment ago.

The first thing she took in was his state of dress. It was very peculiar to her. He wore a light sand-colored tunic, shoes, and a wrap-around skirt (2) with a blue and white panel flowing from his waist down to the end of his skirt. What he laid on was a full, body-length, blue-purple cape. Gold bands littered his body; one on either side of his upper arms, three around his waist above his clothing, and four around each of his calves. Around his wrists were golden bracelets with intricately made patterns. He wore heavy, rectangular-shaped, golden earrings (3) and, from what she could tell, a golden necklace peeked out from under the cape. His hair was the most peculiar thing about him. He had black hair with violet tips that stood up and proudly defied gravity, and long blond bangs with a few streaks stretching up into his hair like lightning. It took her a few seconds to see it, as his bangs were in the way of her seeing it properly, but she identified him having a golden headdress with an odd design (4) carved into the middle. Lastly, he had a thick rope around his neck which held a pyramid-shaped object (5) with the same odd design as his headdress in the middle of it.

Princess Serenity took notice of the pendant almost immediately. She cocked her head to the side, staring at it.

_'That thing in the middle... it looks like.. an eye,'_ thought the princess.

Curiosity outweighing the possible negative consequences, the Moon princess leaned over the man, careful not to touch him as her hand reached out to touch the pendant. She chanced a look down at his face then, stopping her moves abruptly.

His sleeping face... the blonde had never been this close to a man before...

Suddenly, the unconscious man's eyes flew open, startling the Moon princess. His eyes, alert and piercing, as though looking straight through her soul, glittered a dark crimson.

It seemed the man had discovered what she had been about to do and their positions changed so fast, she hadn't even realized it. He sat on one knee while the other foot pushed against the ground, as if he were about to get up. His hand, bigger than her own, wrapped around her delicate wrist and he leaned forward, making her lean back on her free hand uncomfortably.

"Who are you?" he demanded. His voice was deep and heated with accusation, but the mere sound of it had her petrified—with what, she did not know.

The Pharaoh of Egypt frowned at the gaping woman. Why was she not answering him? Did she _want_ to be punished? He wouldn't be lenient on her just because she was a woman!

Pharaoh Atem barely registered the threat of danger before the tip of a blade was thrust under his chin, just a hair's breadth away from cutting his skin. His blood red eyes rose and met those of an angered blonde woman, glaring defiantly at her.

Cerulean orbs followed the stone blade, up the user's hand and looked into the angry eyes of the leader of the senshi. Grouped around her were Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Mercury. Paying no heed to Princess Serenity, Sailor Venus snarled viciously,

"_Unhand our princess._"

* * *

And that's the belated second chapter, everyone! Please read and review :D!

Notes/Meanings:

1) **Sen no Rei no Akumari:** Gathering of One Thousand Spirits. (Google translation)

2) This is referring to the **shendyt,** an ancient egyptian wrap around skirt that was belted at the waist, sometimes pleated or gathered in the front.

3) His earrings are in the shape of a **tablet,** which Serenity is unaware of, much like the Ancient Egypt arc of Yu-Gi-Oh! where they sealed monsters into.

4) The odd design is the **Eye of Horus,** which is an ancient egyptian symbol of protection, royal power and good health.

5) This is the **Millennium Puzzle** from Yu-Gi-Oh! It was originally known as the **Millennium Pendant.** Its alternate names for the Japanese verse are **Sennen Sui** or **Sennen Pazzuru.** In this story, I will try and keep it primarily as the Millennium Pendant, but I might alternate between that and the Millennium Puzzle.

Extra Note: I am irritated with this site... two passages from this chapter were supposed to have two exclamation points, but this site kept correcting it to only one. I've tried writing it in, pasting it in three different ways, and uploading it twice. If someone knows how they can help me with this, I'd be eternally grateful if you did! Thanks!


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